Word Ladder
Change one letter at a time
Type a word that changes one letter of the last word, then press Enter. Your record: 0 ladders climbed
How to play Word Ladder
Word Ladder was invented by Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland, in 1877. You get a starting word and a goal word of the same length. Climb from one to the other one rung at a time.
- Change exactly one letter of the current word to make a new word. You can’t add, remove or swap letters around.
- Every step must be a real word. COLD → CORD is fine; COLD → CXLD isn’t.
- Keep going until you reach the goal word.
For example, COLD to WARM: COLD → CORD → CARD → WARD → WARM. The Shortest counter shows the fewest steps possible. Match it for a perfect ladder. Hint suggests a next word on a shortest route from where you are.
Quick tips for climbing faster
- Look at which letters already match the goal. Those are highlighted, and you may never need to change them.
- Change consonants first, vowels later, or the other way round. Vowels are often the bridge between words.
- Sometimes you have to step away. Changing a letter that already matches can open a route that’s otherwise blocked.
- Use Undo freely to back out of a dead end.
Learn how to spot the route and when to step sideways.
Read the Word Ladder guideWord Ladder FAQ
Is Word Ladder free?
Yes. Play as many ladders as you like, free in your browser on any device. No download and no account needed.
Who invented Word Ladder?
Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland, published the first word ladders in 1877. He called them Doublets.
What counts as a word?
Everyday English words in our word list. Names, abbreviations and very rare words aren’t accepted.
What does Shortest mean?
It’s the fewest steps that can reach the goal using everyday words, worked out when the puzzle is made.
Can I use the same word twice?
No. Each word in your ladder must be new.